Friday, September 27, 2019

Journey to Virginia Sept 12 - 22, 2019


Thursday, Sept 12 - My daughter, Catherine, dropped me off at PDX about 6:30am.  After checking in for the flight and going through TSA check, I went to the Alaska Lounge for a couple hours.  I caught the 9:40am flight, arriving at Washington, DC National Airport about 5:50pm.  I saw "Mary Poppins Returns" during the flight.  I didn't realize that my eldest son, Jeff, was waiting at National Airport to pick me up so I took Metro to Van Dorn Station where the hotel shuttle picked me up.  I had the same room as last year at the Comfort Inn & Suites - top floor with a great view.  I had the fruit and cheese platter for dinner that I purchased during the flight.

Friday, Sept 13 - Following breakfast I took the hotel shuttle to the Van Dorn Station where I caught the Metro to King Street Station.  I avoided riding during the DC Metro peak hours.  I rode the free King Street trolley.  I had lunch at Starbucks.  I found three nano geocaches.  I stopped briefly at Le Pain Quotidien to charge my cell phone.  I had dinner with my son, Jeff, at an Irish Pub - the sandwich was good but the fries were terrible.  He took me back to my hotel where I gave him a package that I brought from home.

Saturday, Sept 14 - Jeff, Donna (Jeff's friend), Joey (Jeff's son) and I went Geocaching in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia.   We found four Virtuals and seven Traditional caches.  One of the Virtuals was the burial site of Stonewall Jackson’s left arm at Ellwood Manor in Locust Grove.   We had lunch at Cancun Margarita Bar & Grill in Fredericksburg.  I purchased food at Starbucks to have later for dinner.

Sunday, Sept 15 - Jeff, Donna, Joey and I went Geocaching in and around Frederick, Maryland.   We had lunch at Bushwaller's - a traditional Irish Pub in downtown Frederick.  We found four Virtuals, six Traditional Caches, two Multi Caches, two Mystery Caches and one cache we DNF.  One of the most fascinating caches was the Virtual Jug Bridge (GCGCRN).  I bought a Chicken Wrap Bistro Box and Shortbread Cookies to have for dinner back at the hotel.

Monday, Sept 16 - After I had breakfast I took the hotel shuttle to the Van Dorn Station where I caught the Metro to King Street Station.  I rode the free King Street trolley.  I went to the Lee-Fendall House to find the cache in the garden but it was closed.  I looked for the cache at the Hollensbury Spite House and took several photos.  I had lunch at Starbucks.  I went to the Alexandria Library in the afternoon where I found an easy chair and took a nap.  I got some food at Starbucks to take back to the hotel.  I rode the trolley, Metro and hotel shuttle back to the hotel.

Tuesday, Sept 17 - I went to DC on Metro.  I visited the National Museum of the American Indian for over four hours mid day.  Always fascinating.   I learned about the Aqua Caliente Indian Reservation (Section 14) in the other Palm Springs, CA established in 1876/1877.  I went to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum where I saw the large Star Trek Starship Enterprise Model.  The Enterprise lights up at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm.  I was lucky that I was there a little after 3:00 pm.  I had Fruit & Cheese, Mixed Fruit Cup and Pound Cake for a late lunch in the cafe.  I traveled back to the hotel.

Wednesday, Sept 18 - After breakfast I went back to Alexandria.  I found the cache that I did not get on Monday at the Lee-Fendall House. I took a nap in a comfy patio chair on the deck of the Alexandria Visitor Center.  I found a cache in the Wilkes Street Tunnel that was originally a railroad tunnel. I went to Safeway and borrowed a long handled broom. Back at the tunnel I knocked the covering rock aside with the broom handle.  I stopped a runner who was not happy with me but reached up and got the cache.  I signed the log.  I used the brush part of the broom to lift the cache back to its slot.  I used the handle to push the rock back in place. When I returned the broom I bought a small container of Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.  I tried to find another cache but DNF.  I got a Pb&J Protein Box and Dark Chocolate Grahams at Starbucks to take back to the hotel for dinner.

Thursday, Sept 19 - I visited the National Gallery of Art for several hours.  I had a deli sandwich and potato chips for lunch in the cafe.  I enjoyed watching the waterfall.  I left the museum around 3:00pm.  I purchased Dark Chocolate Grahams and Berry Trio Yogurt which I ate at Starbucks.  I also purchased a Chicken Wrap Bistro Box at Starbucks for dinner.  I traveled back to the hotel. 

Friday, Sept 20 - I traveled via Metro to L'Enfant Plaza and the International Spy Museum.  I visited the Spy Museum until closing.  My secret codeword was Mercury.  Several movies were mentioned: Argo, Reilly Ace of Spies, Salt, The Americans, The Imitation Game, Black Hawk Down, and Spy Game.  The legendary Bond car - the silver birch Aston Martin DB5 - was on display.  I purchased a Fruit and Cheese Protein Box and Dark Chocolate Grahams at Starbucks for a dinner at hotel.
 
Saturday, Sept 21 - Jeff, Donna, Joey and I went Geocaching in and around Montpelier, Virginia.  I had a Yogurt Parfait at the cafe at Montpelier while they explored the grounds.  Emily (Jeff's daughter) joined us briefly at Montpelier and for lunch.  We had lunch at La Naranja Cocina Mexican in Orange, Virginia.  I didn't think the food was very good.  We found seven Virtuals and five traditional caches.  I purchased an Asian salad, carrot cake slice and diet coke at Safeway in Fairfax for dinner.

Sunday, Sept 22 - Donna and Joey were not able to join us so Jeff and I headed for West Virginia.  I wanted to see the Fairfax Stone.  Unfortunately there was no water in the spring.  We found one Virtual and six traditional caches.  We had a delicious lunch on the patio at the Purple Fiddle Cafe in Thomas, West Virginia.  I saw a Wind Gap as we headed east.  Jeff dropped me off at National Airport.  I bought a yogurt parfait and vanilla shortbread cookies at Starbucks B South.  I watched two movies during the flight: "Isn't It Romantic" and "Hustle".  My daughter, Catherine, picked me up at PDX.  It was good to get back to cool weather.

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